With a great mix of rolling countryside, miles of stunning coastline and plenty of things to see and do there really is something for everyone in East Sussex. Here we recommend how to best plan a weekend break.
Built in 1722 by Sir Thomas Medley, Buxted Park’s history is as colourful as it is long. Over the years, this Palladian mansion has played host to the great and the good including William Wordsworth, Winston Churchill and Marlon Brando. Now you can see what attracted the powerful and worldly individuals as you explore the hotel’s historic rooms, stroll in the gardens or simply let the evening unravel over dinner and drinks.
Set in the finest parkland, Buxted Park is perfectly located for weekend breaks in East Sussex, with its surrounding beautiful countryside and many attractions. Besides making this country house your home, here is what we recommend you do with 48 hours in our company.
Friday Evening
Ensure you arrive in plenty of time to sample our traditional afternoon tea served in one of our stunning lounges, or if the sun is shining on our pretty terraces next to the Victorian Orangery, overlooking 300 acres of Ashdown Forest parkland. If the weather is being kind, take a stroll around our grounds, or else retreat to our Crystal bar for coffee (or something a little stronger), before dinner at our 2 AA Rosette restaurant. We cater for all diets, but if you are a meat eater try the fabulous Buxted Park venison or locally sourced Sussex lamb.
Saturday Morning
As with all of our Hand Picked hotels, there is a delicious cold buffet available as well as a hot breakfast cooked to order – it is a great way to start off your day with so many things to see and do.
If it were us, we'd spend the morning – or longer – in Brighton. Here you can visit the iconic Royal Pavilion, built as the seaside pleasure palace for King George IV, take a walk along the beach and the UK’s largest marina, enjoy all the fun of the fair at the famous Brighton Palace Pier, and tuck into a delicious portion of fish and chips whilst you soak up the sun (dependent on season!) on the seafront.
Saturday Afternoon
For all of you sporty types why not see if Brighton & Hove Albion are playing a match, or check out what events are happening at the racecourses of either Brighton or Plumpton. Alternatively see a performance at Glyndebourne opera house, visit the National Trust owned Sheffield Park and Garden, or sample English wines at the nearby Bolney Wine or Bluebell Vineyard Estates.
Saturday Evening
Head back to the hotel for a well-earned gin and tonic before dinner. Our favourite is the Cloudy Mango Gin from Tom Cat Gin, who are very local to us and specialise in artisan small batch gin.
Sunday Morning
After breakfast head home via Bluebell Railway for a vintage steam rail trip, as one of Britain’s first heritage lines it is understandably one of the largest tourist attractions in Sussex. Alternatively head to the battlefield and abbey ruins where in the year 1066, the armies of King Harold and William the Conqueror clashed at the Battle of Hasting, before stopping off at Hastings for a spot of shopping or a tour of the 14th-century moated Bodiam Castle, which is not too far away.
With so much to experience in East Sussex, why not start planning your stay at Buxted Park now? Book here.
